1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices which distribute small particulate materials, such as chemicals, fertilizers, seed, herbicides, and the like. More particularly, the invention comprises a spreader which, by virtue of its novel design, is lighter than those developed previously.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, numerous variations of the basic hand held particulate dispenser have been set forth with varying degrees of success.
U.S. Pat. No. 95,241, issued to John S. Lewis on Sep. 28, 1869, presents a SEED PLANTER, a simple hand held seed spreader having a plurality of separate compartments along its length, each compartment having a aperture for releasing seeds. Seed distribution is caused by agitation of the spreader by shaking. By contrast, the present invention distributes particulate from a single hopper by a rotary dispersing mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 160,733, issued to Alexander Walker on Mar. 9, 1875, discloses a SEED SOWER, a cylindrical tube having a wire mesh cap through which seed is dispersed by shaking. Again, by contrast, the present invention distributes particulate from a hopper by a rotary dispersing mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,551,877, issued to Leslie G. Henning on Sep. 1, 1925, presents a DRY POWDER DUSTER AND METHOD OF FORMING DUST CLOUDS. Powdered insecticide, or similar material, contained in a hopper is fed by a hand crank powered worm drive into a duct below. A series of fan blades, driven by the same hand crank, incrementally introduce air into the powder so as to diffuse the powder and disperse it on the flow of air. The present invention, conversely, feeds particulate from the hopper by gravity and distributes the particulate by a rotary dispersing mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,707,068, issued to Willis N. Williamson on Apr. 26, 1955, presents a POISON DISPENSER of a design quite similar to a caulking gun. A poison is mixed in the chamber of the dispenser and discharged through a nozzle by the squeezing of a trigger mechanism which aligns a port in the face of the dispenser and the nozzle opening. Feed of the poison through the nozzle is by gravity. WILLIAMSON provides no means of dispersing the poison at a distance away from the nozzle, as does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,954, issued to Benjamin Malbe on Nov. 30, 1965, discloses a LATHER GENERATOR AND DISPENSER, in which a battery operated motor is mounted on a shaving mug having a spout for generating and dispensing shaving lather. A first blade proximate the bottom of the mug agitates a soap solution to generate a lather while a second, higher blade propels the lather upward toward the spout. In contradistinction, the present invention provides no agitation of the particulate within the hopper nor any vertical propulsion of the particulate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,225, issued to Mario Manni on Nov. 23, 1976, teaches a PORTABLE SPREADER FOR PARTICULATE MATERIAL. A rotary platform having vanes radiating from its center serves as a lateral impeller to disperse particulate dropped onto the platform from a hopper above the platform and through an aperture at the front of the spreader. In contrast, the present invention has no rotary platform, but rather, a fan type blade which disperses particulate both laterally and downwardly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,377, issued to Antoine J. Bouchard on Jul. 7, 1987, presents a DISPENSER FOR PARTICULATE MATTER, in which a powdered substance is introduced into an air stream from a manipulable pouch, quite similar to discharging the contents of a vacuum cleaner bag through the discharge chute of a vacuum cleaner. By contrast, the present invention relies on gravity and physical propulsion to disperse heavier particulate rather than air flow to disperse a powder.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,119,993, and 5,409,166, issued to Rudolph M. Gunzel, Jr., et al., on Jun. 9, 1992, and Apr. 25, 1995, respectively, set forth a PORTABLE PARTICULATE MATERIAL SPREADER and BATTERY-POWERED PARTICULATE SPREADER, respectively. In each case, particulate matter is dispersed from a container into a blower mechanism from which the particulate is dispersed by air pressure. Again, the present invention relies on gravity and physical propulsion to disperse heavier particulate, rather than air flow to disperse a powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,598, issued to Steve P. Courtney, et al., on Jun. 23, 1992, sets forth PORTABLE SPREADING DEVICES in which a particulate is dispensed from a hopper onto a rotating impeller plate below for dispersing in a rotary manner. An impeller within the hopper agitates the particulate within the hopper to facilitate the particulate dropping onto the impeller. In contrast, the present invention does not rely on an agitator to feed particulate to the impeller, nor a plate type impeller, but rather a fan blade type impeller.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention is a portable particulate spreader consisting of a container having a venturi shaped throat and a pair of handles so that a person can grasp the handles with both hands for operation of the spreader. An electrically driven impeller disperses the particulate outwardly and downwardly from the spreader.
Accordingly, a principal object of the invention is to provide a portable particulate spreader which will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
It is another object of the invention to provide a portable particulate spreader that will quickly dispense particulate evenly over large areas, thus enabling a person to spread the particulate efficiently.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a portable particulate spreader which will reduce the cost associated with spreading of particulate matter.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable particulate spreader which is simple and easy to use.
An additional object of the invention is to provide a portable particulate spreader which is easy to clean after use.
It is again an object of the invention to provide a portable particulate spreader that is economical to manufacture and therefore economical to purchase.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.